Agradecimientos:
Financial support from the research Project ECO2009-13331-C02-02 financed by Innovation and Science Ministry of Spain, the Economic History Department (UB), the R1D1I Reference Network in Economics and Public Policies of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the ESF (GlobalEuroNet) is gratefully acknowledged.

Resumen:

This paper presents new statistical evidence on the long-term evolution of economic inequality in Portugal. Portuguese tax sources have been employed to estimate top income and wealth shares (TIS and TWS) from 1936 onwards. The new series shows that the SecondThis paper presents new statistical evidence on the long-term evolution of economic inequality in Portugal. Portuguese tax sources have been employed to estimate top income and wealth shares (TIS and TWS) from 1936 onwards. The new series shows that the Second World War had a negative and non-permanent effect on the evolution of TIS, but not on TWS, which increased until the mid 1950s. From the mid 1950s to the early 1980s, there was a sharp decline in TIS and TWS. Finally, during the 1990s, TIS increased again. The reasons behind the Portuguese distributive pattern seem to be more economic than political.[+][-]